by Marie Astor
“Not all of us are as lucky as Paul here,” Wyman countered. “I’m still waiting for the right girl to come along.”
“Well, Tom,” Lisa smiled meaningfully, “perhaps you should open your eyes – or you just might miss her.”
Lisa’s remark made Janet wish she could fall through the ground. Alas, she was standing on a floor of solid wood.
“There you are. Congratulations!” Jon Bostoff joined the group. He shook his brother’s hand and kissed Lisa on both cheeks. “Janet, it’s a pleasure to see you again. How are you finding it at Bostoff?”
“Wonderful, thank you,” Janet replied, taken aback by Jon Bostoff’s unwarranted attention. As far as she was concerned, she was but a mere speck on Jon Bostoff’s landscape.
“Janet is a tremendous asset, Jon,” Lisa cut in. “She’s done so much already.”
Jon Bostoff’s eyes lingered on Janet. “Great. I’m glad to hear it. Tom, make sure you show Janet the ropes.”
Wyman’s glance darted back understandingly. “I sure will, Jon. Not to worry.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it.” Jon smiled. “Paul, Lisa – the guests of honor must do the rounds.”
Lisa lingered behind. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you and Tom,” she whispered to Janet.
Janet merely nodded. Annoyed as she was by Lisa’s remark, she was in no position to address it with Tom Wyman standing in front of her.
“So how about that drink?” Wyman motioned at the bar.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Janet conceded. She did not intend to have another drop of alcohol, but she needed the pretense to get Wyman to talk.
“So, Janet, tell me about yourself.” Wyman raised his glass in another celebratory gesture.
“Oh, I think you pretty much know everything already. I spent the last four years at the DA’s office, went to Columbia Law…”
“That’s not what I meant, Janet.” Wyman reached for Janet’s hand, covering it with his wide palm. “I’d like to get to know you as a person.” He fixed his gaze on Janet’s eyes, waiting for her reaction. “Don’t you think it a pity that we so often know next to nothing about the people we work with? People we spend so much of our time with….”
Janet paused demurely. This was her opening, her chance to get him to talk.
“Yes, Tom. For instance, I hardly know anything about you, and I’d like to learn a great deal,” she purred.
“What is it that you’d like to know?” Wyman’s voice swelled with his ego.
“Well, you see, I’m still learning the ropes at my job, and it all seems so complicated to me. I would so much appreciate it if you could walk me through Bostoff’s business model and all the complicated things that you do for the firm.” Janet fiddled with her cocktail glass. “You’ve showed me a great deal already, but I must admit that it all seemed so complicated that I’m afraid I need another lesson.”
Wyman stroked his chin. “Sure, Janet, I’d be glad to. But first, what do you say we get out of this place and go somewhere quiet for dinner?”
“Why, yes, Tom. That sounds like a splendid idea.”
“After you, my lady.”
Janet started walking toward the exit. Her heart was beating wildly. Playing detective was fun, and it would be even more fun if she did not risk being implicated in the very scheme she was trying to unravel.
Tom followed Janet, but had to rush back to the bar to retrieve his laptop case that he had stowed under his chair.
“Almost forgot the darn thing,” he muttered. “It’s been a hell of day.”
Janet eyed Wyman’s laptop case from under her lashes. She would love to get her hands on the files that he kept there.
Dennis Walker was hurriedly making his way through the crowd. He could see Janet by the bar. He had not missed his chance after all. In a few moments, he would reach her and apologize, citing an important work assignment as the cause of his delay. In reality, it was his boss’s micromanagement that had made him late. With so much riding on the Bostoff investigation, Hamilton Kirk had turned into a nervous Nellie and demanded daily updates from Dennis. Ham had stipulated that these updates be face-to-face, and for the past week Dennis had found himself rushing to see his boss at all kinds of hours. Usually their meetings were either early in the day or late in the evening, but today Ham had insisted that they meet at five-thirty, claiming that he could not stay late due to a family function. Oh, well, when it came to his boss’s whims, there was little that Dennis could do.
At least Ham had managed to get a one-week extension out of the Feds, which left Dennis with a total of three weeks to work the case, as one week, Dean was chagrined to admit, had already gone by. Dennis could sense that something big was brewing at Bostoff: he had seen it in Bostoff’s settlement reports for the past few days that showed unusually high amounts of trades being cleared, and he had gleaned it from the excitement that permeated the trading floor in an epidemic of euphoria. Traders lived for their bonuses, and although it was only the middle of the fall, they were already thinking of February, which was the time when Bostoff Securities paid out its bonuses. These developments could not have escaped Janet Maple’s attention, Dennis was certain of it. Together, they could solve the case that much faster. All week long, he had gone out of his way to run into Janet in the hallways and the cafeteria. They chatted and laughed. She liked him, he could tell. All he needed now was a little bit more time to make her trust him, and tonight would provide the perfect opportunity for that.
As he got closer to the bar, Dennis halted in his footsteps, realizing that Janet was not alone. Bostoff’s attorney, Tom Wyman, was hovering over her like a bee over honey, and Janet seemed to be welcoming his advances, leaning toward him at angles of alarming proximity. At the sight of this display, Dennis froze in place. Dennis was certain that Wyman was the link that connected Bostoff to Emperial and the rest of the hedge fund piranhas that filled Bostoff’s client list. If Janet got close to Wyman, she could find out all sorts of useful information from him. But if Janet genuinely liked Wyman - if she were to become his accomplice - she would be of no use to Dennis. Even more unsettling was the possibility of her becoming something more than Wyman’s ally. The thought made Dennis’s fists curl involuntarily. His reaction scared him; this was a job, not a game of hanky-panky. Dennis needed to secure Janet’s affection, but he needed it to procure evidence from her, not to indulge his own emotions.
Deliberating his next move, Dennis shot another glance at Janet. She looked positively glowing tonight. Her chestnut hair draped her shoulders, adding a new kind of attractiveness to her face. Her entire demeanor seemed more relaxed, exuding a new kind of appeal. Was it merely the change in her hair style or was it Wyman’s presence that was responsible for this change in her? Dennis wondered. The thought of Tom Wyman as a rival for Janet’s attention undid the last remnants of Dennis’s resolve. He wanted to rake his fingers through the rich mane of Janet’s hair, to cover her inviting mouth with his lips, to trace the outline of her body with his hands. While Dennis struggled with his fueling desire, Wyman leaned in closer to Janet and whispered something into her ear. She nodded and smiled, shrugging her shoulders coquettishly. Before Dennis could make up his mind whether to approach the cooing couple, the decision was made for him. Seething inside, Dennis watched Wyman get up from his chair and usher Janet toward the exit. As they passed through the crowd, Dennis ducked against the wall, but the precaution had been unnecessary. Janet’s eyes were glued to Tom Wyman.
Chapter 22
Janet stared at the computer screen in her office. Last night had been fun – a bit too much fun, she had to admit, but, boy, it felt great to be basking in its afterglow.
After they had left the corporate party, Wyman took her to Gilt – the swanky restaurant located in the historic Villard Mansion in midtown, Manhattan that was designed for seduction. No doubt Wyman had taken many of his conquests to that very place, but he did not get his way with Janet last night. She could sense
his expectant, self-assured gaze on her throughout the meal He was the kind of man who was used to women succumbing to his charisma, which made it so much more delightful for Janet to say no. Not that she was impervious to Wyman’s charms – she was only human, but now that she had a different purpose in mind, Wyman had become a tool in her plans. Last night she was seducing him as much as he was trying to seduce her, only Janet’s objective was information, while Wyman’s aim was a bit more carnal.
However, Janet had to admit that Tom Wyman would be a tough nut to crack. She had spent the entire evening trying to get Wyman to open up about the work he did for Bostoff Securities and the nature of Bostoff’s relationship with Emperial and Impala Group. She had employed admiration, flattery, and simple naïve curiosity, but Wyman had remained bullet-proof, only allowing the most general of statements. Yes, he had helped incorporate entities for Bostoff, and yes, he drafted contracts for the firm, but other than that, Janet was none the wiser today than she had been the day before.
Her rendezvous with Tom Wyman might have been a washout, but Janet’s hunch told her that something bad was brewing at Bostoff. The commission report for the previous day showed another large tranche of commissions from Impala Group. The trading blotter indicated the corresponding large volume of orders from Impala Group, targeted at several stocks, which had all declined in price one to three dollars in one day – not a very significant move at first glance, but when hundreds of thousands of shares were being traded, it became significant. Janet frowned: should she talk to Lisa about her findings? She could already see Lisa dismissing all of her arguments with a jaunty wave of her hand. And, objectively speaking, other than a handful of theories, Janet did not have any proof to back up her suspicions. Yes, there was the commission report and the trading blotter, but was there any proof of Bostoff being privy to Emperial’s trading decisions and now, those of this mysterious Impala Group? No, there was not.
With a sigh, Janet grabbed her cell phone and dialed Katie’s number. After all, Katie worked for a law firm, and she might be able to help her.
“Hello, there,” Katie’s voice rang cheerfully in the receiver. “It’s about time you called.”
Janet felt an instant flash of guilt: she had not spoken with Katie since the evening Dean Snider had interrupted their girls’ night out. “I meant to call earlier, but it’s gotten so crazy at work…”
“So, how is Dean in the sack?”
“Katie!” Even though it was impossible for anyone to hear them, Janet blushed. “What are you talking about?”
“Not what, but whom, and you know damn well whom I’m talking about: that handsome IT guy from your job. Dean. You could at least thank me for tactfully leaving the two of you to enjoy each other’s company.”
“Thank you. And by the way, how was the deposition?”
“What deposition? Oh, never mind; there was no deposition, and you know it. Now, dish the goods.”
So much for talking about the stuff that matters, Janet thought. Katie was an excellent lawyer, but lately she had been placing personal matters over professional ones.
“Well, if you must know, nothing happened: he saw me home, and then we walked Baxter together.”
“A real gentleman,” Katie sighed. “Last night, my date insisted on coming up to my apartment as payment for walking me home, and he did not even buy me a drink. We met at an open bar, which does not even make him my date; he was just some guy I picked up at a legal seminar. God, those things are awful, as awful as the men who attend them. See how I’ve fallen? And there you are, with a perfectly fine specimen of the male gender vying for your attention…”
“I’m sorry.” Janet stifled a smile. Katie had such a sense of the dramatic. “But I’m afraid my life is not as exciting as you think. We were supposed to go together to the corporate party for Lisa’s engagement, but he never showed.”
“That doesn’t sound good. Did he actually ask you to be his date?”
“Sort of, but I never committed.”
“Sounds to me like someone is having commitment issues, and now you’re upset that he didn’t show up? Next time he asks, you’d better say ‘yes.’”
“Okay, Dr. Phil,” Janet conceded. Katie did have a point. “But seriously, I called because I wanted to talk to you.”
“We are talking.”
“About something important.”
“Are you telling me that having a sex life is not important? Keep thinking like that and you’ll never get one. Take it from the expert in the area.”
Janet was about to blow her fuse. “Can you meet me for a drink after work tonight?”
“No can do. I’ve got a date. And I suggest you get one too by asking Dean out - men like it when women show initiative.”
Janet was just about to come up with a retort, but Katie beat her to it.
“Sorry, hon, I’ve got to run. My boss is on the other line, but call me tomorrow, and we’ll dish.”
Janet stared at her cell phone. Katie had given her an idea. Perhaps she should talk to Dean after all. Not about their failed ‘date’ of course, but about her misgivings regarding Bostoff Securities. She had almost brought up the topic the evening they had been walking Baxter together, but never had worked up the courage to say anything of substance. After all, she could not very well voice her suspicions to someone she barely knew. Yet, something in Dean’s expression had made her think that perhaps she had been wrong. Perhaps, like her, Dean suspected that all was not kosher with Bostoff’s business, and maybe together they could get to the bottom of things.
But where is Dean? Janet wondered. Over the past week, he had made a habit of stopping by her office to say hello, but today he was nowhere in sight. Well, then, she would just have to go and visit him on the trading floor. Janet grabbed a few folders to make it look like she actually had work to do and left her office.
Dennis Walker stared aimlessly at his desk. There were things he could be doing instead: things he had to get done, like preparing the next set of reports for his boss or scouring for any suspicious events on Bostoff’s trading floor, but Dennis found it impossible to concentrate on any of his tasks. His mind was occupied by thoughts of Janet Maple. The sight of her leaving the party last night with that dog Wyman hung before Dennis’s eyes: what could she have possibly seen in that creep? But then Dennis was not blind to his opposition. There were plenty of things that made Tom Wyman, Esq. attractive to women. His lucratively paying job for one, his polished manner and sharp clothes ─ all of those were the advantages that Tom Wyman had over the persona of Dean Snider.
God, Dennis was sick and tired of this charade! For the first time since he had begun his career as investigator of financial crimes, Dennis found himself on the brink of quitting a case because of a woman. It was immature, he knew, but his desire for Janet and his competitive spirit towards Wyman were getting the better of him. Dennis adjusted his tie, loosening the collar of the cheap shirt that was making his neck chafe. Once the Bostoff case would be over with, he would burn all of Dean Snider’s clothes in a celebratory bonfire.
He had to think calmly. Quitting was not an option. He owed it to his boss to finish the case. Ham Kirk could be a pain in the ass, but the man did put considerable trust in Dennis. Successful completion of the Bostoff Securities investigation would finally bring Ham the promotion the old man had been coveting all these years, and Dennis, sure as hell, was not going to backstab Kirk by ruining his chances. Besides, there was no proof that Janet had actually fallen for Wyman’s charms. Yes, the two had left the party together last night, but for all Dennis knew, their subsequent rendezvous could have ended with Janet throwing a drink in Wyman’s face. He should go and see her to explain his missing her at the party last night. After all, he had promised to meet her there, but thanks to Ham Kirk, Wyman had beaten Dennis to the punch.
Dennis was about to get up from his desk when he noticed Janet walking in his direction. His pride swelled at the thought that she was coming t
o see him. He had been right. That pig Wyman had nothing on him. Quickly, Dennis opened a random program on his computer and started typing away feverishly, doing his best to appear intensely busy.
“Hello, there.” Dressed in a wrap dress that hugged every single one of her tantalizing curves, Janet smiled at him.
Dennis looked up from his screen. “How is it going?” His voice came out terser than he intended. He could not help it: he was still mad at her.
“Good.” She looked slightly perplexed. “It’s Friday,” she announced the obvious, no doubt hoping for him to save the conversation.
“Yes, it is,” Dennis confirmed.
“I missed you at the party last night. I thought you were going to be my date.”
“I got held up at work. But it looked like you did not have any shortage of dates,” he added dryly. Shut up, you moron! Just shut up, his reason screamed, but it was too late – he was beyond common sense.
“You were at the party? Why didn’t you say hello?”
“Because you were busy flirting with Tom Wyman. I didn’t want to interrupt you.” What are you doing? Dennis thought frantically. You’re ruining it!
“We were just having a friendly conversation.”
“I saw you leave with him.” Might as well add oil to the fire, Dennis thought. It was as though a flood gate had broken inside him.
Janet reddened. “Well, I never... Clearly, you’re having a bad day; we’ll talk some other time.” Janet swung around and started walking away from his desk.
“Janet!” Dennis kicked his chair back as he rushed after her. “I’m sorry.” He touched her arm. “I don’t know what came over me. I’m under a tight deadline. That’s why I was late to the party last night…” Dennis broke off, wondering if he could still salvage the situation.
“That’s all right, I understand.”
“Could I make it up to you? Let me buy you dinner tonight.”
She paused momentarily, weighing his offer.